# Mischief Cat's new bad habit **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086 "2020-01-28T00:25:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/1 "2020-01-28T00:25:09Z")
[Merlin](https://photos.app.goo.gl/WoyyaR5W19JERAZNA) the kitten, Bad Boy extraordinaire, is _obsessed_ with flowing or dripping water. He hangs out in damp showers, for Og’s sake! And he’s realized that hey, the nozzles on the water cooler drip a bit after the human uses them, and he’s developed the disgusting habit of licking them. I’m not sure how to get him to stop. He’s not an easily discouraged cat when ~water~ is involved. Push him away or cover the nozzles with your hand, and he pops right back up again when you leave. Plus, even if we stood guard every time we filled a glass, he sometimes licks it just because. because it’s there and he’s passing by, I guess. Any ideas on what I can do here? ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/2 "2020-01-28T00:55:00Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > [Merlin](https://photos.app.goo.gl/WoyyaR5W19JERAZNA) the kitten, Bad Boy extraordinaire, is _obsessed_ with flowing or dripping water. He hangs out in damp showers, for Og’s sake! And he’s realized that hey, the nozzles on the water cooler drip a bit after the human uses them, and he’s developed the disgusting habit of licking them. > I’m not sure how to get him to stop. He’s not an easily discouraged cat when ~water~ is involved. Push him away or cover the nozzles with your hand, and he pops right back up again when you leave. Plus, even if we stood guard every time we filled a glass, he sometimes licks it just because. because it’s there and he’s passing by, I guess. > Any ideas on what I can do here? Cats generally prefer running water to standing water (no matter how fresh). They sell recirculators that keep a constant flowing stream available for cats. You might try one of those, or just leave one particular faucet a little open. Come to think of it, humans aren’t that different. If you walk into the kitchen and see a glass of water on the counter next to the sink that you filled a few hours ago, what do you do? Nine out of ten people pour the water out and refill the glass from the faucet. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/3 "2020-01-28T23:42:44Z")
He’d probably love a fountain or two! I haven’t used one, but I know people whose cats have loved them. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/4 "2020-01-28T23:49:17Z")
You can try the cat fountains, but he might still lick faucets even then. Try to comfort yourself that if Merlin is an indoor cat, you probably already have whatever germs he might possess. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/5 "2020-01-29T00:03:23Z")
In addition to a dedicated cat fountain, maybe smear a little bad-tasting something or other on the faucets a few times until starts to learn that faucets aren’t as wonderful as he had previously thought? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/6 "2020-01-29T01:28:13Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > You can try the cat fountains, but he might still lick faucets even then. Try to comfort yourself that if Merlin is an indoor cat, you probably already have whatever germs he might possess. For myself, that’s what I’ve been doing, but the other people in my house are less sanguine. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/7 "2020-01-29T01:45:10Z")
My bad boy Bear is fascinated with running water as well. If I open a faucet in the kitchen both cats come running. Bear will put a paw in the stream. Meeko doesn’t want any part of getting wet. But she holds rapt attention on the water flowing. When I turn it off they watch. Bear paws at the lever. He’s gonna figure it out one day. Matter of time. I was told by the breeder of these two. She says if I was to give them a bath in that sink I would never have to worry about water curiosity again. So many, many reasons why I havn’t done it. Most of them include me bleeding. You could try that. Or maybe splashing him good. Mind you, I wouldn’t do it. But you could, if you dare. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/8 "2020-01-29T20:20:10Z")
Obey your feline master. If he demands water, provide. Your life could be hell otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/9 "2020-01-30T04:08:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Any ideas on what I can do here? I read on the Dope somewhere “Don’t ever try to out-stubborn a cat.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/10 "2020-01-30T04:39:09Z")
We havn’t heard back from the OP. I wonder if he tried my bath suggestion? I fear for him. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/11 "2020-01-30T04:50:16Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > My bad boy Bear is fascinated with running water as well. If I open a faucet in the kitchen both cats come running. Bear will put a paw in the stream. Meeko doesn’t want any part of getting wet. But she holds rapt attention on the water flowing. When I turn it off they watch. Bear paws at the lever. He’s gonna figure it out one day. Matter of time. > I was told by the breeder of these two. She says if I was to give them a bath in that sink I would never have to worry about water curiosity again. > So many, many reasons why I havn’t done it. Most of them include me bleeding. > You could try that. Or maybe splashing him good. Mind you, I wouldn’t do it. But you could, if you dare. that doesn’t work all the time … i have a cat who loves water because we had to give her a bath a few times because she rolled on a sticky glue mouse trap … She’s been a water cat like the ops every sense, in fact, she’s been known to get in the shower with you if she can … ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/12 "2020-01-30T05:26:56Z")
My cat became obsessed with drinking out of the faucet to the point where she wouldn’t drink anything else. I bought her a fountain, but she sniffed it once and then went back to the faucet. My solution: put the fountain inside her favorite sink. At first, run the water directly over the fountain (I had to manually empty it to keep it from overfilling). Gradually reduce this until she drinks from the fountain alone. Then, move the fountain slowly away from the sink (it’s still on the bathroom counter, which is fine by me). Now she loves the fountain and doesn’t care about the faucet. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/13 "2020-02-05T04:23:27Z")
Update: Merlin- the kitty who’s not smart enough to figure out _[doors](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=886162)_- has taught himself [how to operate the water cooler](https://photos.app.goo.gl/yjaUiiJoRusypFJQ9). I give up. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mischief-cats-new-bad-habit/847086/14 "2020-02-06T07:40:10Z")
The Ballerina (no-nonsense tabby) preferred to join The Dork (retriever-rottweiler mix) at the outdoor faucet. He was about 10x her size but she pushed him around… except to share water. And she slept on his head.